Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board members declined to vote on Thursday on whether to maintain the district’s association with the Enroll Indy platform, preserving Superintendent Aleesia Johnson’s controversial decision in early September to withdraw from the platform in favor of an in-house registration system run by PowerSchool. The move follows a policy directive aimed at increasing enrollment. The district terminated its contract with Enroll Indy in June after operating the platform from September 2022 through June 2023, during which it paid up to $21,730 monthly.
According to IPS documents, the switch will reduce annual costs by over $300,000 in its first year. The change will apply beginning with the 2027-28 application cycle, which opens on November 5. Enroll Indy had previously waived fees for charter authorizers and IPS for one year after Johnson’s announcement, but the district moved forward with the transition regardless. Board Vice President Nicole Carey clarified that the decision adhered to IPS bylaws, under which the board establishes policy while the superintendent executes it. “The board decides the what. The superintendent decides the how,” Carey said.
Johnson had positioned the PowerSchool shift as part of the board’s enrollment strategy, though some commissioners initially considered overturning the decision. Critics of the move warn it will introduce confusion, particularly for immigrant families who depended on Enroll Indy for enrollment and school comparisons. Parents on both sides of the debate spoke at the meeting. Several parents said leaving Enroll Indy would especially harm immigrant families, for whom technology can pose just as much of a barrier as language.
Others said Enroll Indy makes it easier for families to compare schools. “For me, Enroll Indy was not just where I applied; it was how I discovered what was available,” said Sunshine Quinn. Others, including Megan Hise of the IPS Parent Council, raised concerns about the platform’s accuracy, citing instances where families were given incorrect information about school availability. The decision occurs as tensions between IPS and charter schools persist. Earlier this year, the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) was established to coordinate shared services such as transportation and facilities, though individual school boards maintain operational authority. The shift away from Enroll Indy shows ongoing disagreements over enrollment procedures and resource distribution.
